Ramea ferry stays in place following weekend campaign

The MV Gallipoli will continue to serve Ramea. (Department of Transportation and Works)

The southern Newfoundland coastal community of Ramea will be keeping its ferry, following a weekend appeal to the transportation minister.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced Friday it was taking the MV Gallipoli off the Ramea service to backfill on the Bell Island run.

But Ramea residents, who were not consulted on the planned transfer, were not happy with being stuck with another ferry, the MV Sound of Islay.

"This hasn't happened to us before, and we didn't understand the reasoning," said mayor Clyde Dominie. "The Sound of Islay is the swing vessel, and it's been to Bell Island before, obviously, and did the job."

Dominie said over the weekend town residents used social media to pepper transportation minister Nick McGrath with their objections.

The minister appears to have listened. On Monday morning, the government issued a statement on a new series of ferry assignments, with the MV Gallipoli continuing to serve Ramea.

However, the island community will have to use the MV Sound of Islay when the regular ferry undergoes a refit in about two months.